Love The Way You Lie
by JailyForever
Summary: Rita is left devastated when her boyfriend dumps her after he sees a rather compromising photograph and a scathing article about her in The Daily Prophet. How she copes with it is what made her the journalist she is today.


**Subject:** Muggle Art

 **Task:** Write about something that is short-lived but has a great effect on something else.

 **Event:** Scavenger Hunt

 **Clue:** Write a story about the special animagus with a talent for gossip

 **Word Count:** 1055

* * *

Love The Way You Lie

Rita was the happiest she had been in a long time. She had recently graduated from Hogwarts with Outstandings in all of her N.E. , her career prospects were looking excellent, and she had just celebrated her one month anniversary with Gilderoy Lockhart.

She rolled over in the bed and found an empty, lukewarm spot next to her. The smell of bacon and eggs drifted up the stairs and assaulted her senses. Rita smiled to herself before climbing out of the bed. She grabbed one of Gilderoy's lilac dressing gowns and padded downstairs to see her wonderful boyfriend.

When she reached the kitchen, she found Gilderoy sat at the table reading the latest edition of The Daily Prophet.

"Morning, darling," Rita greeted him, sitting down across for him.

Gilderoy lifted his head and glanced at her briefly before returning to his paper without saying a word.

"Are you okay?" she asked, reaching across the table and touching his arm gently.

Her boyfriend jerked his arm away from her.

"Gilderoy, what's wrong?" she asked. "You're not acting like yourself."

He lifted his head and glared at her; the look on his face scared her.

"What the hell is this, Rita?" Gilderoy snapped, thrusting the newspaper in her face.

Rita flinched at the tone of voice, and she quickly scanned the front page.

 **Skeeter's Scandalous Secret**

 _My, my, my! Sorry, dear readers, but this photograph speaks for itself. A rather apt Muggle saying comes to mind right now: a picture paints a thousand words. And as you can see for yourself, it surely does._

 _Miss Rita Skeeter, a recent graduate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is pictured (left) in a rather steamy position with a much older man, Horace Slughorn who was her professor at the time the picture was taken. I have to be left wondering whether the latest squeeze of the dreamy Gilderoy Lockhart truly earned her Outstanding grades across the board._

 _Up and coming writer, Mr Gilderoy Lockhart, is surely going to be left questioning just how well he knows his new girlfriend._

 _Turn to page 3 for more on this saucy story._

"It's not true," Rita whispered, her voice shaky.

"LIAR!" Gilderoy roared. "It's there in black and white. How can you deny the truth when it is painted so clearly on the page?"

"It's not true," Rita repeated. "Professor Slughorn… he touched me inappropriately, which is what you see, but what you don't see is what happened afterwards. I pushed him away and left."

"I don't believe you," Gildroy said. "How dare you try and sully the name of Professor Slughorn? He is a great man. If anything, you are the one who initiated everything for your own gain."

No," Rita insisted, shaking her head desperately.

"Wait, is that why you approached me?" Gilderoy questioned, his mind churning. "You thought, here is a fine, young man who is becoming well known… he is rich and influential, he will surely be able to help me get my foot in the door at The Prophet."

"No, that's not true."

"But it is," Gilderoy told her. "Just last night you asked me to talk to my contact at The Prophet, and you became so angry when I refused. You've been using me."

"No, I haven't," Rita told him, pleading with her eyes for him to believe her. "I love you."

"And I thought I loved you," Gilderoy said. "But now… now I see you for what you really are: a good for nothing, power hungry slapper."

"You don't mean that."

"I do," Gilderoy snarled. "We are over, Rita. Get your things and get out of my house."

Seeing that he was serious, Rita fled back up to the bedroom with tears in her eyes. She hastily got dressed before disapparating home.

For two days after Gilderoy broke her heart, Rita cried. On the third day, she was done crying over the man. She grabbed her quill and ink and started to pour out her frustration and hurt over the author onto the parchment. Gilderoy Lockhart would regret the day he hurt her. As she wrote, she vowed that she would never allow herself to fall in love again… it wasn't worth the pain and the heartache.

A smirk crossed her lips when she read the outcome of her writing. It may have been full of exaggerations, and in some cases outright lies, but she knew would make an excellent addition to the next edition of The Daily Prophet. She already knew from her own personal experience with the tabloid that they didn't care if the truth was bent a little to entertain the reader.

With that thought in her mind, Rita set about making herself presentable before apparating to the head office of The Daily Prophet. She didn't care how long she had to wait to meet with the editor. She was determined that she wouldn't leave the building before she had assurances that the article would be printed and secured herself a job.

Two hours later, she was sat in front of the chief editor as he read her article. Her leg bounced up and down nervously, hoping that he would like her writing.

"Miss Skeeter," the editor said, placing the parchment down on the table in front of him. "This is a fantastic piece of investigative journalism."

"Thank you," Rita answered, smiling.

"We would be delighted to publish your article," he continued, ignoring her thanks. "As for a job, we do have an opening. However, that being said, I need someone ruthless and I'm not quite sure you are ruthless enough."

"I can be," Rita replied eagerly. "Please, give me a shot and I promise you that you won't regret it."

The editor observed her for a few moments before replying. "Okay, Miss Skeeter, I'll give you a shot. You have two weeks to prove yourself after which we'll talk again. But, I must warn you, I expect to see pieces like this Lockhart one. Can you make me that assurance?"

"Absolutely, Sir," Rita said, rising from her seat and offering her hand to the editor.

"Excellent," the editor answered, taking her outstretched hand. "I'll see you bright and early on Monday morning."

"Thank you," Rita whispered, removing her hand from his and exiting the room with a smile on her face.


End file.
